President Biden’s appearance Thursday with Rep. Abigail Spanberger in Northern Virginia gave Democrats an opportunity to get an early sense of whether front-line members will benefit from presidential visits in the midterm elections — as well as a glimpse into what sort of campaign fuel the 79-year-old has left in the tank.
For her part, Ms. Spanberger greeted Mr. Biden with a handshake, a brief embrace and some praise after he touched down in Culpeper, where he sought to sell to the public his $1.75 trillion social spending proposal, which seeks to lower the cost of prescription drugs but has stalled out in the Senate.
“Under my proposal, we will hold drug companies accountable for their absurd price increases,” Mr. Biden said. “We are saying to drug companies, ‘You are finally going to become accountable when you raise prices on the American people.’”
Mr. Biden said his plan was “close” to passing — though the jury is out on whether any of it can be revived before the fall election.
He complimented Ms. Spanberger, saying she has fought to pass his Build Back Better plan and defend Obamacare as part of the party’s push to reduce health care costs.
“It is great to be here with Abigail, with Congresswoman Spanberger,” the president said. “In every chapter of her career, she has always been about one thing: service, service.”
Ms. Spanberger returned the favor, saying she was “proud to bring the president of the United States” to one of the Germanna Community College campuses.
“Lawmakers have spent a lot of time talking about lowering drug costs and we know the American people are behind this push, but we need to buck up and get it done,” she said. “Congress needs to demonstrate we are not just listening to them, not just talking to them, but we are delivering for them.”
Speaking to reporters before the event, Ms. Spanberger downplayed the notion that vulnerable Democrats are not interested in being seen with Mr. Biden while emphasizing he was not there for a campaign event.
“I have the opportunity to literally give my constituents the opportunity to tell their stories to the president of the United States,” she said. “That’s, for me, the height of what representation can and should be.”
Mr. Biden proved to be a draw for a number of Democrats running in competitive races across the country in the 2020 election. But after a brief honeymoon, his image has slipped in the eyes of voters. Lingering frustration over the coronavirus, the chaotic exit from Afghanistan and a rise in crime have taken a toll. His approval rating is underwater.
The challenges facing Mr. Biden and Democrats were on display Thursday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced inflation had soared 7.5% over the past 12 months, marking the steepest spike since 1982.
The report put a bit of a damper on Mr. Biden’s visit.
Democrats have their fingers crossed that the political environment will change and voters will start to credit the Biden administration for enacting the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan and the $1 trillion infrastructure bill.
They also hope voters will reward Mr. Biden and Democrats for getting the coronavirus under control, creating millions of jobs and lowering the unemployment rate.
Still, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm for House Republicans, attacked Ms. Spanberger for appearing with the president, saying she can’t run away from his shortcomings.
“Virginians can see clear as day that Abigail Spanberger completely supports Joe Biden’s failed agenda that is fueling inflation, giving handouts to illegal immigrants, ignoring violent crime and terminating parental rights,” said NRCC spokesperson Camille Gallo.
It’s a line of attack that Democrats seeking reelection in competitive congressional districts are sure to face in coming months, as the Republican Party leans into historical trends that show midterm elections tend to be horrid affairs for a sitting president’s party.
However, Ms. Spanberger is in a unique position, given that she warned House Democrats against embracing far-left talking points and argued that it cost them seats in the 2020 election.
She also appears to have caught a break in the redistricting process. She is running on friendlier turf in the newly redrawn 7th Congressional District, which now encompasses more of Northern Virginia and no longer includes the Henrico suburbs, which she calls home, and the western Chesterfield suburbs.
“It is important to remember that Spanberger will be running in a district that is far more Democratic than the one she has represented,” said Stephen J. Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “These new lines are favorable to her compared to the old lines.”
“It is more useful for her now to have Biden around than it would have been two years ago,” he said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.